Rega Brio-R Integrated Amplifier and USB DAC

Neil Gader has posted a review of the Rega Brio-R integrated amplifier ($895) and USB DAC ($995) at AVGuide. His conclusions:

“As noted previously, the Brio does one helluva job replicating the foundation of a symphony orchestra; however, when I replaced the Brio-R with a mega-integrated like the Lindemann 625, the foundation beneath the orchestra expanded and solidified commensurately. The Lindemann amp possessed a bit more body and was cleaner. Compared with top-flight USB components the DAC also lacks a bit of crystalline transparency and micro-dynamic liveliness, though overall the Rega DAC was musically at home in leagues well outside its price point, even when paired with loudspeakers as ruthlessly revealing as the vaunted mbl 120s. In sum, the Rega Brio-R and DAC are a great tandem—a seamless tag team that play to each others strengths, and at a painless Start Me Up price.

They say don’t mess with success. But they also say, play to win. I say: “Mission accomplished.”

You can read the full review here.